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Thread: AM Tuner - Old vs. New |
    
Bronze Member Username: Dscrobe
Reading,
PA
USA
Post Number: 58
Registered: Dec-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 11:59 am: |
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I fixed up a tube radio from Zenith. Replaced/checked all tubes. I was amazed at all the AM stations I was picking up at night. I understand that reception is better and that some stations wait to come on till night. But, I could only pick up 1 to 3 stations on my more modern receiver. |
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Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 8900
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 07:38 pm: |
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Daniel, be sure your receiver wasn't only looking for am stereo stations!
Good 'ol stuff ya fixed up there. |
Bronze Member Username: Dscrobe
Reading,
PA
USA
Post Number: 59
Registered: Dec-05
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| Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 06:49 am: |
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Yeah, it has FM and FMC. The FMC works better than the FM selection. It seems to lock in on a station, once you tune near it. You could move the dial and you won't hear any static until it begins to lock into the next station. |
Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 11541
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 04:40 pm: |
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AM Stereo?
DS - Most modern tuners consider the very limited frequency range of AM broadcasts to be unworthy of serious attempts at quality reception. If they concentrate on tuner functions at all in a receiver, they will favor the FM side of the dial. I suspect the old tuner had a ferrite rod for the AM antenna. What sort of AM antenna were you using on your "modern receiver"?
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Bronze Member Username: Dscrobe
Reading,
PA
USA
Post Number: 60
Registered: Dec-05
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| Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 11:19 am: |
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Not stereo. Only has one 8" 8 ohm loudspeaker. For the modern receiver, I use the standard 6" dimeter wire loop that came with it. Looks like it has only five turns at the most. |
Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 11553
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 12:53 pm: |
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The loop antenna is meant to be removed and positioned for best reception. That might slighty improve your station count. Or, you could try a very long wire whip antenna placed as high as possible. A run across the backyard is usually sufficient (make sure it's earth grounded if you try this). But, the highest probability is your receiver just doesn't do AM very well.
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Gold Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
United States
Post Number: 1424
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Friday, October 26, 2007 - 09:23 pm: |
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I don't know if you've seen this http://www.sixmoons.com/audioreviews/tubetuner/r601p.html thing, but it looks pretty neat.
Jan, why have manufacturers abandoned the ferrite rod design? |
Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 11634
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007 - 12:16 am: |
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People used to use them as handles and then get p!ssed when they broke their new component. |
Gold Member Username: Exerciseguy
Brooklyn,
NY
United States
Post Number: 1427
Registered: Oct-04
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| Posted on Saturday, October 27, 2007 - 08:47 am: |
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I suspect you're not kidding.
I get terrible AM reception, I'm getting interference from outside my apartment and have been unable to remedy the condition. Currently I'm only using the stock plastic-rectangle loop antennas, but I've considered picking up one of these http://www.ccrane.com/antennas/am-antennas/index.aspx , any thoughts? |
